University Libraries@SUNY CIT 2012

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Janet Clarke

Darren Chase, Web Librarian, will participate on a learning through digital storytelling panel discussion along with Stony Brook University colleagues from Teaching, Learning and Technology, and the Program in Writing and Rhetoric.

The SUNY Conference on Instruction and Technology (CIT) 2012 will be at Stony Brook University May 29 through June 1. From the conference program:

Digital Storytelling
Presenters: Kristina Lucenko, Darren Chase, Nancy Wozniak, Stony Brook University

Time: Friday, June 1, 11:45 am – 1:00 pm
Room: SAC Gallery
Track: Innovative Instruction: Supporting Academic Excellence And Student Success
Format: Panels

The term “digital story” is defined by the Center for Digital Storytelling’s Joe Lambert as “A short, firstperson video-narrative created by combining recorded voice, still and moving images, and music or other sounds.” Multimodal assignments, like digital stories, that ask students to thoughtfully gather and combine a range of communicative forms—from text to photographs to video to sound—can be a powerful pedagogical tool in allowing students to not only understand composition methods, but to reconsider the meaning and use of words in telling stories about themselves and others. Assignments that combine words, images, and sound can provide a powerful learning experience for students who may not initially see college writing as innovative, inventive, or relevant to their lives. At Stony Brook University, faculty and staff use digital storytelling projects and tools to develop student cooperation and communication skills, problem solving and critical thinking, and digital media competencies. In this presentation, faculty, staff, and students will share their experiences with digital storytelling and offer examples of the form.

SUNY CIT 2012 Kristina Lucenko incorporates digital storytelling projects in her writing courses on the personal essay and autobiography. Her students have also collaborated on digital storytelling projects with members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), an enrichment program for retired community members on the campus of Stony Brook University. Students examine elements of storytelling, exercising many of the same critical and creative skills involved in composing a more traditional essay, as well as developing visual literacy skills.
Darren Chase developed and conducts a library workshop that introduces students to conceptual and mechanical aspects of digital storytelling, and offers exemplar models for inspiration and context. He has developed a “Digital Storytelling” online course guide that gathers together multimedia resources, tips for best practices, an introduction to searching and utilizing Creative Commons content, and websites and examples that support the objectives of the course.
Nancy Wozniak uses digital stories in her first-year leadership course. Students create a final digital story project in which they reflect on their first year and their strengths and abilities. This is a deeper, experiential reflection that helps students transition into their majors by developing a sense of selfefficacy and ownership with their academic career.